Tonight, a conflicted Tayshia faces unexpected emotions as she finds herself attracted to multiple men. Former Bachelorette JoJo Fletcher arrives to help Tayshia sort through those unsettling feelings and to fill in for Chris Harrison, who leaves temporarily to take his son to college and must quarantine before returning to the set.
Unsure how to proceed, Tayshia invites JoJo for a heart-to-heart. With champagne in hand, JoJo listens and offers practical advice: don’t sabotage yourself and try not to overthink everything. Having been married and divorced before, Tayshia admits she’s cautious about letting herself fall again.
JoJo Fletcher takes over for Chris Harrison
Twelve bachelors remain. Chris drops by to announce the week’s plan: three dates—two one-on-one dates and one group date—and then steps away, introducing JoJo as his stand-in and the new deliverer of date cards. The first card names a one-on-one date with Zac C, who promises to reveal more of who he is. Tayshia says Zac isn’t her usual type, but she’s intrigued.
The date is styled as a “fantasy wedding day” by designer Franco Lacosta, with the pair dressing in wedding attire for a photoshoot. Though the staged nuptials stir uncomfortable memories of Tayshia’s previous marriage, the playful setup still gives her a glimpse of what being at an altar with Zac might feel like.
Tayshia and Zac play wedding dress up; he shares a dark secret
Zac’s nervous energy follows him into the tux shop; he admits he couldn’t stop thinking about Tayshia while choosing his outfit. She wears a slim lace dress with a long train, and Franco insists she wear a veil—adding to the surreal mood. As the day progresses, the pair slip into different looks and eventually share a quiet moment at what passes for a reception. Tayshia calls the experience “surreal,” and Zac confesses he was previously married and divorced.
Over dinner by a fire, Zac opens up about a difficult chapter in his life: during college he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and had surgery at 23, which exposed him to drugs and addiction. He married, continued to struggle with substance use, and after a DUI his marriage ended. He later spent four months in rehab and now serves on the board of that rehab—an arc that moved Tayshia. She appreciates his honesty, tells him his story makes him special, and gives him a rose. The date ends with them kissing and riding a mini Ferris wheel.
The group date gets naked in more ways than one
While Zac’s one-on-one unfolds, tension simmers back at the house. The group date picks ten men—Spencer, Ivan, Ed, Blake, Brendan, Riley, Demar, Bennett, Ben, and Noah—with Eazy slated for the other one-on-one. The group date theme is “express yourself,” and the men find themselves in an art studio where a figure drawing session includes models and an assignment to draw an embracing couple. The guys are relieved they won’t have to undress.
Sketching quickly turns awkward. Bennett moves Noah from his seat next to Tayshia, claiming he didn’t want a scene, which only adds friction. Later, blindfolded clay work leads to immature antics—someone fashions a phallic shape and Bennett builds “three houses” while boasting about his financial status. Tensions between Bennett and Noah escalate, annoying Tayshia.
Every Bachelor has a story
Next the men create self-portraits, with the most vulnerable piece earning extra time with Tayshia. Each man reveals a personal story: Noah offers a yin/yang-themed image; Brendan creates an open frame meant to leave room for a future partner; Bennett showcases needlepoint to counter perceptions of privilege; Ivan assembles a puzzle that symbolizes concerns about his father’s health and hopes for a family; Blake draws a turtle dove and hints at a challenging upbringing; Riley shares a reconnection with his mother after estrangement.
Ben’s moment is dramatic—he returns in only a robe and then drops it to expose himself. He frames the stunt as taking down walls, literal and figurative, which earns an emotional reaction from Tayshia. Later, he reveals he struggled with bulimia in his twenties and that his sister helped him recover; he now works as a nutritionist. Tayshia is moved by the vulnerability she’s seen and chooses not to pick a single winner as a reward.
At the after-party, Tayshia urges continued openness. Riley and several others have intimate moments with her—kissing and sharing—but the underlying friction between Bennett and Noah remains unresolved. Ultimately, Tayshia awards the date rose to Ben for his honesty and willingness to open up.
Tayshia has had it with Bennett and Noah
After the party, the rift between Bennett and Noah takes center stage. JoJo tells the guys the cocktail party will be delayed so Tayshia can confront the drama. Bennett brings a patronizing gift package for Noah—a red bandana, novelty socks, and a book on emotional intelligence—delivered with a tone that many perceive as condescending. Noah fires back, and the two trade barbs until Tayshia steps in.
She tells both men she has feelings for them but is fed up with the immaturity. She calls their behavior “teenage boy drama” and insists they should have resolved it earlier. She notices the suspicious box Bennett brought and demands to know what’s inside, setting up more fallout for next week.
A shocking development
The final one-on-one of the episode is with Eazy. Their date is staged like a horror show—ghost-hunting across the resort in the dark, complete with staged sounds and props tied to a tragic backstory about an oil baron’s family. The theatrical scares end in laughter, and Eazy uses the evening to admit he’s falling in love. The other men believe he has strong chemistry with Tayshia and expect he’ll return with a rose.
But at the rose ceremony, Tayshia says she’s not on the same page and cannot reciprocate his level of feeling, so she doesn’t give him a rose. Eazy is stunned and heartbroken as he leaves, telling the camera he’s never been more disappointed.
Back in the house, Tayshia prepares to finally address Bennett and Noah’s feud head-on, promising one rose and one departure. The confrontation ends on a cliffhanger when Tayshia discovers Bennett’s mysterious box. Viewers will have to wait to see what it contains and how the drama resolves.